I.t4 The Raid at Dumfries on Lammas Even. 



morning- they g-athered in the Church of the Grey Friars' 

 Convent. There the venerable and circumspect (we shall 

 retain all his dig^nities) Dominus, or, to use the vernacular, 

 Sir, Archibald Nycht, vicar of Trailflat, the accredited deputy 

 of the most venerable and distinguished Master Hugo (iren- 

 law, commissary below the parts of Nith of the most reverend 

 father and lord in Christ, Dominus James, ^^ by God's mercy 

 Archbishop of Glasgow, held a court. There were present 

 also Sir John Symsone, Sir John Lauchlinsone, and Sir 

 Stephen Ameligane, chaplains, John Greirsone, William 

 M'Brair, Nicholas Purdoun, and William Gillespie, laymen, 

 Thomas Welch, and Herbert Dwne, clerks, the former the 

 first town clerk of the burgh on record, and the notaries, 

 Sir John Makhomme, Sir John Durane, and Sir David 

 Makgee, the last a presbyter of Glasgow. In their presence 

 Adam Wallass, bailie of Dumfries, produced a register or 

 book of the burgh court of Dumfries, in which, he asserted, 

 were contained certain acts of blood which it was necessary 

 the provost, bailies, and community of Dumfries should pro- 

 duce, either in the original or in an authenticated copy, before 

 the Lords of Council with a view to investigating the truth 

 of the matter touching the right or claim of right to hold, 

 through ownership and possession, courts of blood. These 

 acts the bailie asked, with seemly reverence, should be read 

 over and copied by the notaries. This accordingly was done, 

 and the document comprises the earliest records we possess 

 of our burgh courts. ''^ 



The following may serve as examples of the extracts. 

 The first is dated i6th May, 1454. " The bowrow curt of 

 Drumfreis haldin the xvj day of the moneth of maij the zeir 

 of god, ane thousand four hundret liiij zeris, sutis callit, the 

 court affermit, etc.. The quhilk day it is funding be ane 

 inqueist that Johne of Aceine is in ane bluyduit, etc." The 

 next extract is much later, March i6th, 1473, " The borow 

 curt haldin at Drumfreis the xvj day of the moneth of merch, 



45 James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, loi)9-l')22, formerly 

 bishop of Galloway, and aftez'wards Archbishop of St. Andrews. 

 46 ride Appendix V. 



